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Gemma Collins has revealed she was due to marry fiancé Rami Hawash just one day after her beloved mother died.
The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 45, opened up about the devastating timing of Joan Collins’ death during an emotional conversation with housemates on Big Brother.
Joan died aged 70 in July following a series of health struggles, leaving her daughter heartbroken.
Now, during a guest appearance on the ITV reality show, Gemma has shared that she was preparing to walk down the aisle when tragedy struck.
Speaking to contestants in the garden, she reflected on the close relationship she shared with her mother.
‘She was an amazing woman and I had an amazing 45 years with her. I was with her every day,’ Gemma said.
The reality star went on to discuss how difficult it can be to confront the loss of a loved one, explaining that although death is inevitable, people rarely talk openly about it.
‘You just have to try and find the strength to carry on,’ she told the group.
She then disclosed: ‘I was meant to get married on the Thursday and my mum passed away on the Wednesday. What can you do?’
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances, Gemma managed to inject some of her trademark humour into the conversation.
‘To be honest it was all a rush anyway, I ordered a dress off Shein it would not have gone down well,’ she joked.
Gemma has been engaged to businessman Rami Hawash since 2024, when he proposed for the third time after more than a decade of their on-and-off relationship.
The couple first met at the King William pub in Chigwell, Essex, in 2011, with Rami subsequently making appearances alongside Gemma on Towie.
Their romance was rekindled during the Covid lockdown after Gemma’s split from fellow reality star James ‘Arg’ Argent.
While the pair have previously discussed their plans to marry, Gemma’s latest revelation is the first time she has shared how closely their intended wedding date coincided with her mother’s death.
Joan had been battling ill health in the months leading up to her death, having been hospitalised with pneumonia twice in the space of six months.
She spent five weeks receiving treatment ahead of Christmas before being rushed back to hospital in June.
At the time, Gemma admitted she was struggling with the uncertainty surrounding her mother’s condition, telling followers she ‘couldn’t sleep with worry’.
Following Joan’s death in July, the TV personality shared her devastation publicly, describing her heart as ‘shattered into a million pieces’.
She wrote: ‘My heart is shattered into a million pieces. Today our beautiful mum passed away peacefully surrounded by LOVE. Mum, today, every piece of my heart left with you.
‘No words will ever be enough to thank you for loving me, guiding me, and being my mum. You gave me life, you gave me strength, and you gave me memories that I will carry for every day I have left.
‘The house will never sound the same without you. Your voice, your smile, your little ways, they are woven into every corner of my life.’
Her latest comments come as Gemma makes a much-anticipated return to the Big Brother house, a decade after becoming one of the show’s most memorable celebrity contestants.
The self-proclaimed GC originally appeared on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, delivering a string of unforgettable moments, from her demands for heated hair rollers to her repeated attempts to leave through the fire exit.
This time, however, she has returned as a celebrity houseguest rather than a competing contestant, following an appearance by her friends Jedward earlier in the civilian series.
Gemma has never been shy about her place in Big Brother history, previously declaring herself the show’s ‘most iconic housemate’.
‘No-one will beat me or top me or ever come close to my wonderful, fabulous performance on Big Brother,’ she once said.
‘I was the most iconic person ever to come off of that show.’
But her latest appearance has offered viewers a more vulnerable glimpse of the reality TV favourite as she continues to navigate life without her mother.